Justice Delayed: The Andrew Brown Case

Police brutality and the murder of unarmed Black people seem to be the order of the day. No case better illustrates this disturbing reality than the murder of Andrew Brown in Elizabeth City, NC. When the case came to national attention in April, it raised chilling questions. Brown was murdered as sheriff deputies from Pasquotank County Sheriff’s office attempted to serve a warrant. Rather than fully disclose all of the facts surrounding the case, an extended period of delay ensued. The delay in releasing information to the family and the public damaged the credibility of authorities. Initially, there was confusion about the jurisdiction responsible for the case. Then facts of the incident appeared hazy. Several witnesses alleged that the deputies arrived to serve the warrants and almost immediately shots were fired. Brown could be seen frantically trying to get away from the officers as they continued firing into his car. The car went through an adjacent field and collided with a tree.

Brown’s death was a horrific event. The scenarios that played out afterward were even more problematic. Initially, the sheriff’s office did not release an official version of the events. Instead, the sheriff and assistant sheriff publicly criticized Brown’s conduct. They argued he was a known felon and had a history of evading arrest. Seven officers associated the events were placed on leave. Protests began immediately in Elizabeth City and surrounding communities and continued unabated. Activists, community leaders and national media called for the release of the body cam footage. Confusion continued to abound regarding the jurisdictional issues. Finally, after one week, the mayor, sheriff and city attorney in Elizabeth City made a joint statement. They alerted the public that the Elizabeth City police had nothing to do with the incident. Rather, the incident was solely the responsibility of the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s office.

News media and civil rights activists redoubled their efforts to force the sheriff’s office to release the footage. After another week passed and a war of words between the various factions ensued, the State of North Carolina weighed in. Officials cited a state law indicating only a county judges could order the release of the bodycam footage. When this did not occur, a local District Court judge denied media request to release the video to the public. The judge forbid the release of a tape for 30-45 days. Brown family attorneys successfully persuaded authorities to allow a viewing of the tape by the Brown family, which consisted of 44 seconds of footage. The attorneys and the family were convinced Brown’s shooting was an execution. The video of the incident, which shows the deputies, who arrived in a pickup truck, descending from their vehicle, and immediately attempting to confront Brown. Deputies shot at Brown’s car at least 14 times. They fired into the front and back windshields and on both passenger sides. These shots resulted in Brown’s death.

Certain that the videotape would warrant charges against the officials involved, attorneys and civil rights activists called for County District Attorney Andrew Wombe to recuse himself from the case. Wombe, however, refused to do so. After reviewing the officers’ actions at the scene, the District Attorney declared their actions justified and they would not face criminal charges. He stated that Brown’s actions “caused three deputies with the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office to reasonably believe it was necessary to use deadly force to protect themselves and others.”

From its inception to the current moment, the Brown case has been fraught with delays and circuitous turns. The delayed release of the videotape at the county level and unwillingness of authorities to effectively communicate information caused dismay and protest. The Brown case not only shows that justice is blind, not in the objective sense, but is also severely delayed. Activists and attorneys are calling for an investigation into this case by the United States Department of Justice. They met with the North Carolina’s Governor Roy Cooper. It remains uncertain if justice will be served in the Brown case or delayed.